Following the news that the Old Library on Queen’s Square is to be transformed into a creative hub we’ve taken a look at what else is going on in the city centre thanks to investment from the Transforming Towns Funding to create an attractive city centre that is set for the future.
The Transforming Towns funding provides capital funding for local businesses, social enterprises, and public bodies to enable a broad and flexible programme of support for a wide range of projects that can help to rejuvenate town centres across mid-Wales.
The type of projects can include green infrastructure developments, public realm improvements, installing digital infrastructure in town/city centres, to internal and external commercial and residential property improvements and much more.
The programme actively encourages places to live, work, visit and stay and is linked to the ambitions in our Placemaking Plan for Wrexham.
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Refurbishment of Wrexham Markets – £2.565 million
Two popular indoor markets are currently undergoing extensive refurbishment thanks to this funding as well as other funding secured from National Lottery Players Players through Wrexham Townscape Heritage Fund and Shared Prosperity Fund.
The Butcher’s Market was opened in 1848 and the General Market in 1879. Neither have had any extensive renovation works and it’s time to look to the future to ensure these two indoor markets flourish in the city centre.
High Street – £1.33 million
This important and historic street is located in the historic heart of the city’s Conservation Area and contains many listed buildings. The funding secured will create new public realm spaces; embrace the Smart cities approach to a digitally enabled city centre; and create a multi-purpose, high quality daytime and night-time economy that appeals to people who live in and work in Wrexham and those who visit.
Xplore! Science Discovery Centre – £750k
Formerly at Glyndwr University (Now Wrexham University) The Science Discovery Centre on Henblas Street ,formally a disused Department store, opened in October 2020.
In addition to other funding, it received £750,000 from the Transforming Towns Funding to provide exciting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) experiences for communities across North Wales through a highly accessible Science educational centre with fun exhibits for all ages create a centre full of educational and fun exhibits for all ages. It offers schools activities, venue hire, corporate events, birthday parties and much more.
Museum – £1.3 million
The county borough Museum is currently undergoing a major refurbishment to create a “Museum of Two Halves” which will become home to the Football Museum of Wales and a new Wrexham museum all based in the building on Regent Street.
The new museum will celebrate Welsh football, past and present, in all its diversity, from grassroots clubs to the national teams, as well as highlighting Wrexham’s historic achievements in the sport and celebrating the rich heritage of the county borough.
New galleries will be created to display the Wrexham Museum collections, which means an enhanced experience for visitors and a first-class, modern venue for discovering the fascinating and eventful story of our region of North East Wales.
Working alongside the community, the museum will host a programme of activities and events to inspire all who visit to learn, be active and achieve their potential.
Property Development Grants – £150,000
The Property Development Grants saw a total investment of £318,623 awarded to enhance building frontages and bring vacant commercial floor space back into use. It supported ten City Centre business and has seen three empty properties brought back into use.
Improvements have included new shop fronts, signage, and restoration of heritage features and energy efficient improvements to commercial units to help support local business to reduce energy bills.
Grants have been used to fund external works to building frontages, including:
- shopfronts
- improved display windows
- signage improvements
- windows and doors
- roofs and chimneys
- rendering
- structural works
Huge investment in the city centre
Cllr Nigel Williams, Lead Member for Economy and Regeneration, said, “These are exciting times for the city centre with huge investment not only from the Transforming Towns Funding but also many other funding streams to ensure a bright and successful future for Wrexham.
“I would like to thank our officers and the Welsh Government for their commitment to making Wrexham city centre a place where people want to live, work, learn, relax, invest and visit.
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